This method of dealing with a task list is the most effective I have yet found. It is based on simple scanning, that is to say going round and round the list doing tasks as and when they stand out.

This is in itself quite an effective method, but as I said here it suffers from two major related problems:

The list tends to grow uncontrollably

It gets spread over a large number of pages if you are using a notebook and pencil/pen.

So what one ends up with is a huge backlog of tasks, which one doesn’t have a hope of ever clearing.

What is needed is a way of getting the list to self-limit in such a way that it focuses on what one can actually do within a couple of days or so.

Here’s how it works step-by-step. I’ve assumed you are using paper and pen/pencil, but it is easily adapted to work electronically.

FIRST DAY

Start a new list. Don’t use an existing list.This is very important, otherwise you will overwhelm it before you’ve even started.

Add other tasks to the end of the list as needed or as they occur to you throughout the day. Allow the list to build up gradually.

Work the list by scanning it, taking action on those tasks that feel ready to be worked on.

When you’ve worked enough on a task. cross it out. If it’s unfinished, re-write it at the end of the list. Do the same with tasks that will recur the same day or the next day.

When you finish for the day draw a short horizontal line in the margin immediately after the last task on the list.

SECOND DAY

Starting from the beginning of the list work as in rules 2-5 for the First Day.

SUBSEQUENT DAYS

Extend the first of the two short line end-of-day markers (see rule 5) so that it goes right across the page.

Start working from that line (i.e. ignore any tasks before it for the time being)

When you reach the end of the list, go back to the beginning of the list.

You now work only on the tasks between the beginning of the active list and the long horizontal line you drew at the beginning of the day:

Scan them and DELETE any you no longer want to do at all

Scan again and DEFER any you don’t want to do now to your schedule/calendar (do not just re-write them at the end of the list without taking any action on them)

DO all the remaining tasks in order

Continue working the rest of the list as in rules 2-5 for the first day.

IN SUMMARY, at the beginning of each day you work on yesterday’s tasks in the normal way, followed by today’s tasks. Then you clear ALL tasks remaining from the day before yesterday (DELETE, DEFER or DO). Once you’ve done that you carry on working yesterday and today’s tasks as normal.

Using this myself I was surprised how few tasks I needed to delete or defer. The list seemed to conform almost automatically to the amount of time I had available. I’ll be interested to know if it works that way for you too.

Article originally appeared on Get Everything Done (http://markforster.net/).